Pros

Cons

Expensive.
Average battery life.

Bottom Line

The iPhone 6s Plus brings better LTE coverage for T-Mobile, making it absolutely worth the upgrade.

9 Oct 2015Sascha Segan

The iPhone 6s Plus for T-Mobile ($749; 16GB) beats last year's model in a big way. Thanks to a better radio, the 6s Plus is able to get T-Mobile LTE signal in places where earlier iPhones drop to 3G or even EDGE. The larger 6s Plus is also the iPhone to get for the best video recording quality, as well as a great-looking canvas to write and draw on. Its overall excellent performance makes it an Editors' Choice for larger smartphones on T-Mobile.

I wrote a comprehensive review of the AT&T iPhone 6s Plus. Head over there for a broader overview of the phone's new features, including 3D Touch, the faster processor, and the improved cameras.

T-Mobile's Model and ServiceAT&T's iPhone 6s Plus, model A1634, includes an LTE frequency band (Band 30) that only AT&T uses. T-Mobile's model (which is the same model you'll also get on Sprint and Verizon), A1688, does not. The phones are otherwise identical, and both models work equally well on T-Mobile's network.

Speaking of networks: Apple upgraded from last year's Qualcomm X5 modem to an X7 modem this year, and that brings T-Mobile's new, low-frequency Band 12 LTE network with it. In much of the country, that means better LTE coverage and building penetration than you would have seen with any previous iPhone model.

Other large smartphones on T-Mobile also have Band 12. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Moto X Pure both have it. In my tests in New York City, I got LTE service on an iPhone 6s where I only saw HSPA+ with an iPhone 6. That's a noticeable uptick in network speed.

The 6s Plus also supports both T-Mobile's voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) calling system and its Wi-Fi calling system. In recent tests, I've been turning off the Wi-Fi calling more often than not, because quality can get really poor with a weak Wi-Fi signal. That's not unique to the iPhone, and Wi-Fi calling is still an excellent fallback for when you have no cellular signal.

From left: Galaxy Note 5, iPhone 6s Plus, Moto X Pure.

Comparisons and ConclusionsBecause of the better coverage Band 12 brings to the table, you shouldn't consider any lesser iPhone on this carrier. Whether you prefer the iPhone 6s or the iPhone 6s Plus just comes down to which one better fits into your hand and your pocket.

The more interesting question is whether you should pick up an iPhone 6s Plus, an equally expensive Samsung Galaxy Note 5, or a less expensive, still very powerful Moto X Pure or Nexus 6P. The Galaxy Note 5 is actually ahead of the iPhone 6s Plus when it comes to pressure-sensitive creative apps, thanks to its S Pen stylus. And it's hard to beat the flexibility and price-to-performance value of the Moto X Pure, with its higher-resolution screen, expandable memory, and much lower price. We haven't tested the Nexus 6P yet, but it looks like a strong, more affordable option.

But these comparisons ignore the un-ignorable: the powerful draw of the iOS ecosystem. You buy iPhones because you want to iMessage your friends, listen to Beats 1 radio, get service at you local Apple Store, or download the many iOS-exclusive games. I also suspect that creative apps using the new 3D Touch screen will ramp up very quickly, outpacing Samsung's S Pen. The iPhone 6s Plus is an excellent piece of hardware, but it's Apple's software and service package that really helps make this an Editors' Choice for phablets on T-Mobile.

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About the Author

PCMag.com's lead mobile analyst, Sascha Segan, has reviewed hundreds of smartphones, tablets and other gadgets in more than 9 years with PCMag. He's the head of our Fastest Mobile Networks project, one of the hosts of the daily PCMag Live Web show and speaks frequently in mass media on cell-phone-related issues. His commentary has appeared on ABC, the BBC, the CBC, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, and in newspapers from San Antonio, Texas to Edmonton, Alberta.

Segan is also a multiple award-winning travel writer, having contributed to the Frommer's series of travel guides and Web sites for more than a decade. Other than his home town of New York, his favorite ... See Full Bio